Thursday, November 4, 2010

Such a unique and thrilling experience it is to see such diversity and focus on garden design, art and sculpture, exciting galleries and the outdoor lifestyle all wrapped up into a unique place. This is how I feel about Cornerstone in Sonoma. This gardening oriented showplace hosts some of the most innovative landscape architects and designers and temporary exhibits in Northern California if not the United states.

On my previous post, I showcased a few of the garden spaces at Cornerstone and now I’ll show you more gardens that peaked my interest with exciting design and new plant concepts.

This relatively newer contemporary space is the work of Delmar McComb is filled with unusual plant combinations (mostly succulents), beautiful hardscaping and sculpture and a focus on biologically diverse, sustainable and innovative spaces. I am completely drawn to this dramatic and yet sensible space filled with exciting succulents and rich plant textures, combinations and colors – it all works so well.

Another newer entry to Cornerstone ,and for some reason I could not find out any information about this installation is this ode to farming with a contemporary twist. Beautiful beans climb up this metal caged home shell and another boxed frame in front. All around are the lasts remnants of the summer harvest, tomatoes, sunflowers, corn, herbs, grasses and other annuals bringing in some fall color into the space. I was very tempted to pick a few cherry tomatoes and pluck them in my mouth in the last photo.

Fronting the Sonoma hills is the garden from the team Nip Paysage, a Montreal group showing us these fifteen foot Adirondack chairs, beautiful fall daisies and a twisted white picket fence that seems to just run in every strange direction throughout the property.

The children’s garden by MIG is a playful place for children to run, play and build in the garden. It highlights the natural environment and allows interaction and learning with colorful displays, natural materials and plantings showing how and where our food comes from.

Another out of this world garden experience in line more with a mini golf course, in fact golf clubs and balls are included. This space called the Usual Suspects by Martha Swartz consists of nine mini golf courses in a playful and odd combination of layouts with no rules.

Here’s a few more sculpture and art I found on the walks. Amazing form and light really added to enjoying these wonderful displays from the New Leaf Gallery showcasing many contemporary artists.

Cornerstone is such an amazing place to discover new garden designed inspirations, art, food, wine all in a very special place. I hope you take the time to visit this place when you do come to Sonoma or Napa on a wine tasting tour – it will be worth you time to see this.

9 comments:

Okay, I definitely need a bumpy turquoise tree! That is awesome! As are all your pics. It's given me an idea, too. I think I'll paint up a whole bunch of little birdhouses some wintery day. They're awfully cute when squished together like that. :)

Beautiful designs to choose from and imitate in our gardens, if we have big space. I like the trelises which could have been more awesome when you visited later when they are already fully covered. Do you think those bird feeders are working, meaning do the birds really go there?

I am loving this post! That bumpy tree is fantastic! I feel so lucky to have founded my blog, as it gives me a chance to see the most beautiful spaces in the world! without the posts from all the great gardens all over, I would never have been so lucky to have seen such inspirations!thanks for linking in this week. I know I have not been around as much as I should be, but I am working on it!

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Aloha

Living in East Hawaii on the Big Island, I am amazed by the multitude of new plant genera that I've started to discover and become addicted to. Come and explore with me in finding new amazing plants, discover the variegated and colorful, rare specimens, developing my garden, garden design, learning about sustainability and just doing the naughty things that a plant fanatic typically won't do in public :)

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Writer, photographer, artist, food fanatic and wanderer,I love to visit and discover new places, exotic food and interesting people along my travels. Being able to explore new environments, cultures and trying something new is something I am passionate about, and sharing my photography and writing is a big part of the joy and creative process.
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